Rattrap



T. HELME Nov. 28, 1950 RATTRAP Filed Aug. 28, 1946 V INVENTOR. Thomas He/me ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1 950 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE RATTRAP Thomas Helme, Albany, N. Y.

Application August 28, 1946, Serial No. 693,555

4 Claims. (01. 43-78) My invention relates to traps and particularly to an improved type of rat trap which is self-setting.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a rat trap of a type which, if it does not instantly kill the rat will, at least, inflict a serious injury thereto or produce hemorrhages which will eventually cause death. Another object is to provide a trap of this character which immediately and automatically resets itself after it has been tripped. Another object is to provide a trap provided with an electromagnetically actuated means for hitting a rat and having means, adapted to be actuated by the rat when within range of the hitting means, for putting said hitting means into operation. Another object is to provide an electromagnetically operated trap with means for adjusting the sensitivity of the tripping mechanism so that the slightest touch will put it into operation. A further object is to provide in connection with a trap of this character a container or cage into which the rat will be caused to fall and be trapped when struck by the hitting means.

With these objects in view my invention includes the novel elements and the combinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the manner in which the tripping mechanism is pivotally suspended from the top of the case;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the cover over the contact points;

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram;

Fig. 7 is a small scale vertical section of a cage or box with which my trap may be associated and into which the rat is knocked when struck by the hitting means of the trap; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. '7 with a portion of the top of the cage or container broken away.

Referring to the drawings- My trap comprises an elongated case or container l in which the coil 2 of a solenoid magnet is mounted with its axis substantially horizontal. 3 is the armature of the solenoid which is normally held in the retracted position shown in Fig. 2 by means of the light restraining compression spring 4 which is adjustable by means of the knurled nut 5 cooperating with the threaded end 6 of the armature. The extent to which the armature 3 may be moved to the left by the spring 4 is limited by the collar 1 secured thereto. Coaxial with and threaded into the armature 8 is an extension 9 0f non-magnetic material into" which the needle 16, or, if desired, a blunt implement, is threaded, as shown at Ii. Near the free end of the needle or other like rat-hitting implement is a vertical partition [2 having an opening l3 therein of rather substantial size through which the needle passes. Beyond the end of the needle and the opening I3 is a ring M which is pivotally suspended to swing freely as a pendulum from the axis l5. The suspending means it for the ring is provided above the axis [5 with a contact point I! which is adapted to cooperate with a fixed contact point IS on the end of the screw IQ for closing an electrical circuit through the solenoid. The distance between the points I? and It may be varied by turning the knurled head 28 0f the screw l9 and looking it in adjusted position by means of the lock nut 20' which bears against the cover 2| which is secured to the top of the case by means of the screws 22.

The compartment 23 in the casing is closed except for the opening 13, and is provided with a door 24 which may be raised, as shown at 24, to place an appropriate bait in the compartment; a bait which can be scented from a distance being preferred.

An electrical conductor 25 connects the contact point I! with one terminal of the solenoid coil 2. The other terminal of the coil is electrically connected by the conductor 26 to' one terminal (not shown) of the plug 21; and the other terminal of the plug is electrically connected'to the contact point Is by means of the conductor 28. Thus, by plugging in a source of power through the plug 21, an electrical circuit through the electromagnet 2 will be closed when the points I! and 18 are in contact. The closure of this circuit will pull the armature 3 forceably and instantly into the coil 2 and thus thrust the needle or other implement II] to the right and through the ring l4.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, when a rat steps up on the platform 29 and pokes its nose into the ring M in attempting to get at the bait in the compartment 23, the contact points may be adjusted so that the slightest movement of the ring l4 towards the compartment 23 will close the electrical circuit through the solenoid and thereby actuate the same to thrust the needle into the nose, throat or brain of the rat. As soon as the ring 14 returns to its normal position the circuit will be broken and the armature f the solenoid will automatically reassume the position shown in Fig. 2. It is to be understood that the extent to which the armature 3 of the solenoid projects into the coil is so adjusted that the device will function as first described.

In Fig. 7 I have shown my trap as secured to a cage or container 30 near the top thereof Between the top and the bottom 31 of the container I provide a pair of light trap doors 32 and 33 which are normally held in closed position by means of the light springs 34 and 35, re: spectively, or other suitable means; the upward movement of the doors 32 and 33 beyond a horizontal plane being prevented by the pins 36 and 31. A small entrance 38 into the container is pro vided for the rat and a narrow walk 39 extends from the opening 38 to the trap. Since the entrance 38 must be elevated somewhat above the floor 4G in order to provide room for the compartment ll in the cage 39, a board 32 or other means may be set up against the container to provide a means along which the rat may easily walk up to the entrance 38.

Instead of using a sharp pointed implement such as the needle shown at H} in Fig. 2, a blunt ended implement may be used, as pointed out above, when the trap is associated with a cage or container, as shown in Fig. 8. Thus, when the rat sticks its head in the trap it will be stunned by a blow from the trap and knocked forceably backwards on the narrow pathway 39, on to the trap doors 32 and 33 which will immediately open and dump the rat into the compartment 41 and close.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, effective device which may kill a rat instantly or which may penetrate its body in a less vulnerable point but nevertheless will cause hemorrhages frqin which it will eventually die. A needle-like hitting implement may, of course, be used in connection with the cage 30 in which the rat will be trapped either dead or alive, and any suitable door may be provided leading into the compartment GI through which the rats or the bodies thereof may be removed.

What I claim is:

1. A rat trap comprising a solenoid, an armature movable by said solenoid when energized and provided with means adapted to hit a rat when a, portion of the body of said rat is within the range of movement of said hitting means, and pendulously mounted means positioned in the range of movement of said hitting means and adapted, when moved by said rat, to close an electrical circuit through said solenoid for energizing the same.

2. A rat trap comprising a casing, a solenoid mounted in said casing, an armature movable by said, sglenoid when, energized, a rat-hitting element coaxial with said armature and adapted to be thrust outwardly from said solenoid by said armature when said solenoid is energized, a substantially enclosed bait compartment having an opening therein through which said hitting means is thrust by said armature, a ring adjacent said opening through which the rat must pass in attempting to enter said compartment, and means pendulously supporting said ring and provided with means adapted to close an electricalcircuit through said solenoid for energizing, the same when said ring, is moved by then r at,

3. A rat trap comprising a, casing, a solenoid within said; casing, an armature adapted to be actuated by said solenoid when energized, means driven by said armature adapted to pierce the body of a rat, means adapted to be actuated by a rat when, w thin @2 5? c s i i c ean for. efifectingan energization of said solenoid, and resilient means for automatically, retractingv said piercing means when said solenoid is de-' energized.

4. A rat trap comprising a single solenoid only, an armature movable by said solenoid when energized, means actuated by said armature for hitting a rat when in a predetermined position, resilient means cooperating with said armature for returning said hitting means to a retracted position, and means adapted to be actuated by a rat when in said position and adapted to closev an electric circuit through said solenoid when so actuated.

THOMAS HELME.

REFERENCES CITED The following, references are of record in the, file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 332,175 Wolfe, Dec. 8, 1 885 635,386 McWhirter Oct. 24, 1899 1,464,697 Connolly Apr. 14, 1923 2,061,123 Ward Nov. 17, 1-936 

